The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a report on the cleanliness of ships across multiple well-known cruise lines.
The report — issued via the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) — noted that the inspection system marks anything at or below a score of 85 as unsatisfactory. While none of the vessels got such low marks, several were scored quite low for their cleanliness based on that scale.
In 2024, four ships received an 86 grade, just above failing. The poor performers were the Caribbean Princess, Carnival Breeze, Evrima, and the MSC Magnifica. Ten vessels in total were scored with an 80-something mark.
Nineteen ships received a perfect “100” score. Five of those high-ranking clean vessels are with Norwegian Cruise Lines ships — the Jewel, Bliss, Sky, Escape, and Gem. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises had three ships in the roundup of high scorers.
What Else Is There To Know About The CDC’s 2024 Cruise Ship Inspections Report?
The VSP provided detailed information regarding health and cleanliness violations for individual cruise ships. Within those thorough reviews, the program additionally shared suggestions for how those cruises can clean up their acts. The organization’s goal is to help “the cruise industry prevent and control the spread of GI (gastrointestinal) illness.”
VSP inspections are unannounced and last up to eight hours, depending on the ship’s size, identified issues, and other factors. How many inspectors are at a critical walkthrough depends on how big the vessel is. The inspections aim to note how much a cruise ship complies with public health standards.
“Cruise ships under our jurisdiction are subject to two inspections each year,” notes the VSP. “If a ship sails outside of the United States for an extended period, it may not be inspected twice a year, but it will be inspected again when it returns to the United States.”
